1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the field of exercise and sports training, particularly to a weighted wrist band utilized with various sports implement during training.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ankle and wrist weights have been used for many years in exercise training regiments, as well as in assisting individuals in perfecting the use of a particular sports implement.
For example, ankle weights have been used for many years to develop increased jumping ability in basketball players. Typically, ankle weights are secured around a basketball player's ankles during exercise, as well as in practice basketball games. When the ankle weights are removed and the basketball player participates in a basketball game, the jumping ability of the basketball player is increased.
Similarly, it has been found that swinging multiple baseball bats, or a single weighted baseball bat, during warm-ups increases the speed of the ball player's swing while batting during actual games. Subsequently, a weighted disc was developed to be removably provided on the barrel of the baseball bat, allowing the ball player to practice swinging with an added weight. When the weight is removed from the barrel of the baseball bat, the speed of a baseball player's swing has also been found to increase.
Additionally, it has been found that providing a weighted wrist band around a golfer's hand or wrist enhances the golfer's ability to increase the speed of the golf club swing. It has also been found that applying weights to the wrist of a player swinging a racket, as well as other sports implements, results in increased swing speed when the wrist weights are removed and the athlete swings in a conventional manner. It is appreciated the use of wrist weights can be expanded to basketball, volleyball and numerous other sports.
The use of hand or wrist weights has been described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,766 to Gardner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,768 to Archer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,075 to Tarbox, U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,215 to Tarbox, U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,525 to Whitsitt, U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,556 to Saavedra and U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,958 to Pappert, as well as in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0046912 to Tomlin.
The hand exercise weights illustrated in the two patents to Tarbox are generally employed to develop the arm and upper body muscles. As illustrated in the drawings of the '075 patent and the '525 patent, a portion of the hand exercise weight is provided across the palm of an individual, thereby making it difficult to effectively utilize these hand exercise weights when an individual is swinging a sports implement, such as, but not limited to, a golf club, a baseball bat, a tennis racket, a racketball racket or a squash racket. Such positioning of the hand exercise weight also interferes with athletes shooting a basketball, or practicing with a volleyball. Although the wrist bands illustrated in the patents to Gardner and Pappert do not extend across the user's palm, they do terminate in a straight line in proximity to the top of the wrist near the user's palm. The utilization of these wrist bands interferes with the use of a sports implement such as a golf club, baseball bat or tennis racket when the user is wearing the wrist band.
While practicing a particular sport, it is important that the practice session mimic the participation in the actual sport or game. For instance, if the weighted wrist band is used when an individual is practicing shooting a basketball, it is crucial the “feel” of the basketball in the individual's hand as the basketball is released be the same as when the basketball is released during an actual basketball game. This is also true with respect to practicing the skills of volleyball. This is not accomplished if a portion of the weighted wrist band comes into contact with the basketball or volleyball during a practice session. Similarly, if a portion of the weighted wrist band contacts a sports implement, such as a baseball bat, golf club or racket, the “feel” of that implement would be different during a practice session when compared to the use of the sports implement during an actual game (without the use of the weighted wrist band).
Additionally, the patent to Pappert utilizes a weight insert composed of metal plates carried by a cylindrical spring clip. The utilization of metallic elements or sand provided in a pocket of a wrist band would produce a wrist band whose weights were not particularly stable as they would likely shift when the user moves his or her hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,108,285 to Turnidge et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,369,258 to Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,097 to Schwartz, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,615 to Wenk illustrate various gloves provided with a weight included in a pocket. The '285 patent to Turnidge includes a pocket filled with finely particulate lead or other suitably heavy metallic materials. The '097 patent to Schwartz shows a weighted glove having pockets into which bags of weighted particles such as fine lead shot are inserted. The '615 patent to Wenk describes a weighted golf glove having a pouch into which a weighted material, such as sand, lead powder or lead shot, is provided. As with the patent to Pappert, the use of granular metallic elements produces a weighted glove whose weights are not particularly stable.
The '258 patent to Smith discusses a glove provided with a weight pocket including a thin layer of metal shot which is secured inside of the pocket by a flexible adhesive layer of a material such as rubber cement. As can be appreciated, it would be relatively difficult to insert the weighted material into the pocket. Additionally, the weighted material is provided within the pocket, and it cannot be removed.